SEYCHELLES SIGNS NEW BASA WITH HONG KONG
(Posted 27th June 2013)
Information was received from Mahe, that during the ongoing Investment Conference, which the Seychelles are presently holding in Hong Kong in order to attract both business links and more tourists, a new bilateral air services agreement was signed between the archipelago and Hong Kong, which is a region with special status within the People’s Republic of China since attaining independence from Britain.
Air Seychelles has been operating direct flights, from Mahe via Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong three times a week under a special status which has now been regularized to fit common air service agreements in place elsewhere.
Hong Kong airlines, like Cathay Pacific, can now also commence flights to Mahe, very likely with fifth freedom rights from an intermediate waypoint, as is the case with Air Seychelles from Abu Dhabi, though no such plans are imminent.
Present at the signing ceremony were Air Seychelles’ CEO Cramer Ball, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt, the CEO of Seychelles Civil Aviation Gilbert Faure and other officials, who saw the Minister for Trade and Investment Pierre Laport affix the official signature on the documents alongside the Hong Kong Secretary for Transport Prof. Cheung Bing-leung.
Congratulations to the Seychelles for this landmark agreement and happy landings for aircraft, crews and hopefully many passengers flying from Hong Kong to Mahe and vice versa.
